Starigrad Paklenica

ABOUT RIVIERA PAKLENICA

Starigrad Paklenica is small tourist town located between Zadar and Karlobag in the northwestern part of the Zadar County . Today, Starigrad is a place with about one thousand inhabitants, which mostly live from tourism and home made products and fresh foods. The place is popular for its exciting combination of mountains and beaches. The proximity of the national park Paklenica is very favorable. Thats a reason more for climbers to spend their vacation here.

For guests who love sun and sea, there are many sandy beaches ideal for the perfect family holiday. The restaurants offer home made mediterranean food, which is based on healthy fresh products.

Velebit is one of the most famous mountain in the massif Dinarides. It is 145km long and 10-30km wide, about 2200 km ² of surface. The highest peak is Vaganski vrh (1757 m ). It stretches along the Velebitski kanal, part of the Adriatic Sea, from Vratnik above Senj in the northwest to the canyon of river Zrmanja in the southeast.
The whole mountain area is protected as a nature park, and North Velebit and Paklenica are proclaimed as national parks.

The area of Paklenica National Park streches on the littoral slope of South Velebit up to the zone of the highest mountain peaks – Vaganski vrh 1757m and Sveto brdo 1753m. It covers the area of torrent flows of Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica, and their distinctive canyons carved vertically into the south slopes of Velebit and the broader surrounding area. The relatively small area has an abundance of geomorphological phenomena and forms, diverse flora and fauna, attractive landscapes and intact nature. There are over 1000 plant species of which 79 are endemic.

It was proclaimed a national park in October 19th, 1949. The name Paklenica probably derives from black pine sap called “paklina”, which the locals used in traditional medicine, for wound treatment, for light and for coating of wooden boats.